To avoid this
danger, there is always a man stationed on an eminence, who gives notice
with a horn when he sees the approach of this torrent. The distance
between Cape _Jigat_ and the river of Nagotana is above 200 leagues. On
the west Guzerat borders on the _Resbuti_ or _Rajputs_, a people
dwelling in a mountainous country.[189] On the north it joins with the
kingdom of _Chitor_[190]: On the east with that of _Pale_.[191] The
coast is covered by numerous towns and cities. It is watered by two
famous rivers, the _Taptii_ and _Tapei_[192] by many creeks that form
several islands. Guzerat is all plain, so that they generally travel in
waggons, as in Flanders, but lighter made, which are easily drawn by
oxen, smaller than those of Spain. The country breeds cattle in great
abundance, and plenty of provisions of all sorts. The natives are of
four different kinds. The first called _Baneanes Baganzariis_, feed
after our manner: The second called simply _Baneanes_[193], who eat of
nothing that hath life. Their priests are called _Vertias_, who are
clothed in white, and never change their apparel till it falls in
pieces. These live altogether on charity; and, like the children of
Israel in the desert, they never keep any thing for the next day. They
place their greatest hope of salvation in abstaining from killing any
creature whatever, and even use no light at night, lest any moth should
fly into the flame; and always carry a broom to sweep the ground they
tread on, that they may not trample any worm or insect to death. The
third race consists of the _Resbuti_ or _Rajputs_, who are good
soldiers, and to whom formerly the kingdom belonged. These people
acknowledge _one God in three persons, and worship the blessed Virgin_,
a doctrine which they have preserved ever since the time of the
apostles[194]. The fourth and last class of inhabitants are the
Mahometans called _Lauteas_, consisting both of strangers who have
conquered the country, and natives who have embraced that religion. The
inhabitants of Guzerat are very ingenious mechanics in works of silk,
gold, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise-shell, crystal, ebony, and other
articles. They follow the rules of Pythagoras, killing no creature; but
rather buy all, though even venomous, from those who take them, on
purpose to set them free. They have even a set of men whose only
employment is to go about the towns and fields looking out for sick
beasts, which are tended with great car